#80
Accession Number: 0080-0000
Common Name: Paper Birch
Latin Name: Betula papyrifera
Family: Betulaceae (Birch Family)
Native Range: North America
Height: 50–70 feet
Spread: 25–50 feet
Bloom Time: March to April
Bloom Description: Yellowish (male) and green (female), not showy
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2
Light Preference: Part shade
Water Needs: Medium to wet
Notes: Tolerates deer; winter interest
Description: Paper Birch, sometimes known as Canoe Birch, is a very cold-hardy native of Canada and Alaska, as well as some of the northern, contiguous US states and further south into the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains. Its common name derives from the white bark, which exfoliates in papery strips, reveal orange-brown inner bark. Can grow as a single trunk or with multiple trunks, although the multi-trunk trees tend to be shorter, with a more irregularly shaped canopy. The fall color is an attractive, clear yellow. Tiny, rather insignificant flowers produce drooping cone-like fruits with numerous small winged (“propeller”) seeds that mature in late summer. The bark was historically used by indigenous peoples for making birch bark canoes, typically used for transportation of goods. Like many birches, it grows well in cooler northern climates, but can be short-lived and more susceptible to stress and insect damage in heat and humidity prone areas.
